


Outside the Lines

by Imoffended



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22015099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imoffended/pseuds/Imoffended
Summary: This is a post game story in the fallout universe. More specifically fallout 4. Starts canon and will quickly become non-canon. First work... Ever. Hope you enjoy! I would also like to add that the piper/sole survivor relationship stuff was partially inspired by WulfenOne and their work Steel Reign!
Relationships: Female Sole Survivor/Piper Wright
Kudos: 16





	1. Moving On

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback welcome! Please be constructive. This is the first thing I’ve written in 5 years or so.

200 years can do a lot to a mind, to a soul. Even if it feels like a moment. Maybe it wasn’t the time itself but the realization that the world, her world, had been taken.  
Destroyed.  
The nuclear hellfire that brought the world and its superpowers to their knees. Not only toppling government and nation, also taking away family and friendships once thought to outlast anything the world could hurl at them. 

But now 200 years later, a bit over 212 to be exact. Danielle Walsh finds herself walking. No real intent just walking. Trying to decide if anything can be her real purpose. See, the goal since leaving vault 111 had been to find Shaun. Then things changed and changed again. “War never changes”. Danny thinks back to her late husbands speech. Guess he was right. If this war on the institute, and the brotherhood were any indication. War hadn’t changed. 

A war indeed fought. A bulk of it waged over the last day. As in 24 hours Danny, her minute men, and the railroad had rid the commonwealth of both its boogeyman and its shiny new threat. She can see father in flashes, leaving him to die was surprisingly easy after learning the truth. And the brotherhood was no issue at all. Only causing problems and violence since the moment they showed up in the commonwealth. 

Danny continued by herself in this deep thought. Half expecting a bullet to come her way. But even raiders are giving free passage today. The institute was bigger and Danny earned a bit of respect among these unsavory types. She pressed on still not knowing where she was going but seemingly gaining on a destination. Diamond city she would think as walking up the steps. A bit late to change her mind, completely Exhausted from the day and subsequent walk here. “I guess home plate will do tonight...” saying to nobody in particular maybe a guard in earshot. 

Looking out on the still busy marketplace and the few families that exist here. Danny has a pang of sadness come over her. She’ll never have that family again. She’ll never see Nate. Or Shaun. Or have the happiness only a family can bring. Fighting back tears that have needed to come out for almost a year. And pushing through the crowd of celebrating residents who just got word of the victories. Danny finds the door to home plate. 

“Damn!. Locked..” it was no use. That key could be anywhere in the commonwealth right now. Or somewhere in an underground ground facility that was just blown sky high. Everything spinning now still fighting back tears and exhaustion. Danny somehow managing to find the door to Publick Occurrences. And then knocking, before realizing what was happening, or why. 

Then a rush of a memory of the brash reporter girl that got her in to diamond city in the first place. Before she could think to turn and leave that same girl opened the door. Still in red trench coat and news cap. “Piper... I’m... Sorry to show up like this, but I owe you an interview, and I need help” Danny managed to choke back pain, tears, and exhaustion to get just that out. 

“Oh... hey Blue.. I. You’ll have to forgive me I wasn’t...” at seeing the condition the stranger was in piper changed mid thought “come in, sit down, you look like hell. Can I get you anything?”

At the shred of kindness shown by piper, Danny crumpled. It was the pain, the weight of the world, and her decisions finally crashing down, but in that moment she broken. Tears that had been held back for too long came in a flood. 

Piper, taken aback by the sudden show of emotion from the woman who had only been strong and powerful. Who she had only met a few times around town. From her perspective Blue was too focused and almost cold until now. 

She must have found what she was looking for, and didn’t like what she saw. Piper felt sad for Blue and after standing and watching her sob on the floor for what was probably too long, while thinking, ushered her new friend inside and onto the couch. 

They sat together on that worn red couch for what was either two minutes or two hours. Neither cared how long it had been. Piper only wanting to help console blue. And Danny dealing with a dam breakage of emotion flooding every thought. Until somewhere in all of it Danny fell asleep. Either from exhaustion or the warmth of another person who seemed to care. She was out. Piper only noticing when blues breathing evened out. So she grabbed a blanket and laid it out over her guest and went off for sleep of her own.

Danny woke with a start. Confused at first then remembering the night before. Then a wave of embarrassment came over her. Along with the headache the felt worse than any college hangover. Piper hearing the commotion from the other room entered a few moments later. “Rise and shine. I was starting to get worried you weren’t going to wake up. You’ve been out all day”. Danny looked at the pip-boy on her arm to check the time. 18 hours. 18 fucking hours. “Yeah sorry about that. It was a long couple of days for me” Danny was a bit hoarse and piper picked up on it. “Here, you’re probably dehydrated” piper motioned to the side table with jug of water and some pain killers. 

“Piper I’m sorry I sprung all that on you last night, I don’t have the key to my place and I can’t get the spare from the mayors office until morning”. “Say no more Blue, you can crash my couch as long as you need. It’s okay. You just owe me an interview”.

This might be the first time Danny has even seen Piper without her “work uniform”, the red coat and cap. She came down from her loft in an oversize T-shirt and loose fitting jeans, with her long jet black hair pulled back into a mess of a pony tail. Must be her comfort clothes.


	2. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having to figure out tense and phrasing. Please bare with me as I shake the rust off the writing muscles! Thank you so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit short so I will probably post another chapter later tonight. Feedback always welcome!

“Hey Blue, are you ready? I figure that med-x should be working right about now”.   
Danny wasn’t sure about getting through the story all at once. Maybe get all of it in chunks.   
“Yeah I think I am, it’s a long one. So are you ready?”

For nearly two hours Piper sat in awe of the story as Blue told it. She finally learned her name. Danny. Hmph. I think Blue suits her better. Only pausing when her retelling made its way to Shaun. Danny was proud of the way she made it through. And at the end. The previous thirty six hours or so, Pipers jaw dropped. 

“Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me you and your minutemen singlehandedly took down the Institute and the Brotherhood of steel... all in a day”. “Well yeah, I had the minutemen and the railroad but yeah. We blew the institute sky high and then grounded that airship the brotherhood was using”. Piper still awestruck “ that’s impressive, I feel a whole lot better about letting you sleep on my couch. I have the savior of the commonwealth crashing on my couch”. 

Yeah savior. I’m no savior. Danny thought to herself for a while. 

“Well miss savior, what will you do now? You’ve pretty much solved every problem in the commonwealth. So what’s next?” Piper clearly still ensnared in the story. And full of questions. 

“Honestly I haven’t thought about it much, first, I need a break. Then I don’t know.” Danny thought for a few moments. “I’m sure theres more people that need help. And I am still general of the minute men.” Another pause for a moment, Danny was wrestling with a proposition and Piper could see it plain as day. “I’m tired of leading, I have been leading everyone I come across, and building for my own problems. It just worked out that it was everyone else’s problem too”. 

Piper then chimes in seeing where blue was going. “You can fallow me for a while... if you want. It’s always safer with two people and I’ve got some stuff I need to do”. 

“After a break” Danny added. “But yes, that sounds good”.


	3. Times of Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally starting to get to an actual story!

Together, the newly formed duo decided on two weeks of rest. Two weeks to get cleaned up, get organized, and make some plans. It took two days for the mayors office to find the key for Danny’s house. So there was another couple nights spent on Pipers couch. But it became oddly comfortable and familiar. Piper was actually excited to see her new friends house after talking about it for two days. 

So when the key was found and brought down both Danny and Piper ran over to home plate. Danny had wanted to make this place feel like a home. So it was furnished with the nicest most non destroyed furniture that could be found. Piper was amazed at how nice the place looked. It almost resembled a picture from those prewar picket fences magazines. 

Danny showed Piper around, and got to the sleeping areas. Two separated by a curtain partition. “You know this place is set up for two people, and I actually don’t like living alone. You can move here if you want.”  
“Really? But blue, this place is so nice, and I already have a place”  
“Yeah, we can be roommates and then you won’t have to sleep where you work, but only if you want to”

She thought for only a second, and had wanted this kind of set up. Living away from the Publick would be really nice. “Sure. I think it would be good for me.”

It wasn’t much to get Piper moved across town. She just doesn’t have a lot. Clothes in a dresser and some food is really all she has. Along with an old toolbox of small keepsakes, money, and cigarettes. 

But blue offered everything in the house can be used, and shared. The only things off limits were Pipers toolbox. And Danny’s footlocker. She had some of Nate’s things she had kept and stashed in the box. Both were okay with the small limitations each had set. Thinking one day they could share but not today. 

The next eleven days or so we’re spent settling in Piper to her new house. Along with healing wounds both physical and emotional. On the last day they had designated for rest Piper suggested they layout what the have to travel with. And what they need to get. It was a lot. Danny was nearly out of ammunition from fighting two wars in a day. And Piper never kept much in the city. Piper also didn’t have much money. Always spent it on food and cigarettes. That’s where Danny came to the rescue and poured out her cap stash. 

“Holy shit blue, I’ve never seen so many caps in my life”  
“Yeah, I got a lot from the brotherhood wreckage, must have close to... 50,000!”  
“So shopping is no problem anymore, I thought we were going to go out swinging bats and throwing rocks”  
“Piper, we can probably buy out every shop in town, so we can stock up on ammo, food, stimpaks, and some armor for you”  
“What’s wrong with my coat” piper snipped as she was dragged to the market in a huff. 

First stop Arturo, to buy every bullet in stock. And a few new guns never hurt. Then to Myrna to grab a bit of food and some travel gear. After an hour of haggling and taking home, both thought they were ready to head out in the morning. 

Piper still wasn’t even sure what she wanted to do. Maybe help Nick on that case up north. Maybe check out the rumors of the old theme park. “Nuka world” seemed interesting. She always wanted to see the Capital wasteland too. Though the brotherhood might not like her new friend. Though most of the capital brotherhood probably wouldn’t know who she is. And they can always change out the obvious vault 111 suit. 

I’ll decide tomorrow, when we leave. She thought as she curled up in the bed across from Blue’s. And drifted off into dreams of adventures to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always welcome! Thank you so much for reading.


	4. I’m a wonderer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heading out! Excited to be writing again!

Sleep came easy for Piper that night. Quiet excitement filled her head of the, still unknown journey that would start in the morning. While just a few feet away only separated by an old curtain Danny was awake until early that next morning. Mostly thinking. About Shaun, and how she turned her back on her son. About Nate, and how much she would give to have him here. And a little about the papergirl in the next bed, how crazy she was to just up and leave on whatever trip they were going on. And for some fleeting moments how, if she had some new clothes and a touch of makeup Piper Wright could be quite the looker. That thought quickly washed away by dread of even thinking about her that way. That Nate is still in every other thought, all day long. And in the early hours of the morning Danny finally drifted to sleep, with a comfort in thinking Nate is my fist and last. And that’s that. 

The next morning was not an easy one for Danny. Waking up on only three or four hours of sleep was never her strength. Piper seemed to be in a good mood, and had some coffee made up for when her new friend awoke.   
“Here you look like you need this” Piper sliding open the curtain with two cups in hand.   
“That bad huh? I must look dead”   
Both drank in silence for a few moments and Danny found it to get up and start grabbing things for her bag. 

“Well.. any idea what we’re doing?” Danny asked while still loading her bag.   
“Oh Blue.. don’t worry about it. You’re fallowing ME right? So just fallow”.   
“Okay Ms. Piper, but I would like to know where about we’re going”.   
“Well I was thinking head out to the Capital.. See the ruins of old D.C.” Piper was starring while saying that to see Blue’s reaction.   
“Well that’s haven’t been there since I was a kid. Must have only been twelve. That sound interesting though. I never really thought about traveling that far”. 

Now with a bit of energy from coffee and excitement about seeing the ruins of D.C. Danny was ready to go. And from what it looked like Piper had been ready for hours. 

Saying goodbye to diamond city was surprisingly easy. And to Danny’s surprise, and complete shock of Piper most raiders left the pair alone. The gunner troop on the outside of the greater Boston area even let them through with no harassment. All parties looked on in respect and silent admiration at the “Savior” of the commonwealth. 

It seemed Piper had made up her mind on D.C. as well and only knew of a couple ways. By land; would take about two months just walking, way to long to be on the road. By vertibird; if only the brotherhood was still around to make buy a flight. Or by boat; she had heard of a ferry that goes up and down the coast. A bit pricey but that might work. 

“We’re looking for a big steamboat. Ran by a woman named Carter”.   
“Are you sure about a boat Piper? I mean they weren’t the best way travel in my time. Let alone 200 years of wear and tear”.   
She guessed Piper was convinced because down the coast a ways sat a massive pre-war steamboat. From here she could see guards posted on the top deck and a few people marveling at the machine bobbing in the ocean. 

Now closer and able to get a better view, this boat seemed to be in good shape. Faded white with blue accents covered the ships exterior, and from the dock Danny could see some of the deck had been walled off for rooms. She actually felt good about this trip after seeing how they would be traveling. And a woman who could only be this, Carter, was posted in a chair on the dock waiting for prospective passengers. 

Carter, a taller darker skinned woman, stood much higher than Danny and Piper when the arrived at her “sales booth”. Her short dark hair pulled back with a folded bandanna, she looked rugged, almost intimidating. Though piper walked directly to her shook her hand, and started introducing. “Hi there.. I’m Piper Wright. And this is Danny” pulling Danny up to match her. “Hello ladies. I’m captain Carter, I run this ship. I’ll take you just about anywhere there’s water”. Danny added quickly “does D.C. have any water?”

Captain carter looked confused for a moment. “Oh you mean the capital? Yeah, I can get you there. We’re stopping in Empire city along the way. Then off to the capital.”  
“How much?” Danny said bluntly. Thinking about how much the ONLY ferry could charge.   
“500 Caps per ticket. And that will get you to the capital. Even if you get out at empire.”  
“That seems fair.” And Danny paid the thousand caps for her and Piper, surprised at the reasonable price.   
“You two are in room 3. It’s a queen so you should be good sharing. Right?”   
“Yeah that’s fine.” Danny grabbed her bag and boarded the vessel followed closely by Piper. 

Piper was shocked how quick Danny was to accept sharing a bed. What Danny didn’t know was piper had thought about her the last few nights. How genuine and nice she can be. How she just opened her home. And how she had wanted to go to Danny’s bed at night when she was having nightmares. Or crying. And try to comfort her new friend. Because though she hid it well Piper could still hear her companion breathing heavy, or crying in the night. And when the nightmares came it woke everyone in the neighborhood up. She would be screaming “NATE” or “SHAUN”. So maybe this would give her chance to be a friend and try to return some favors. 

The two got settled into the room, and only an hour or so later the boat rocked and started motoring out of Boston harbor. The two decided to watch the city disappear on the now distant horizon. Both thinking about the next step in their adventure. And maybe seeing Empire city. 

Captain Carter hollered from her control room. “Food is at 8. You can meet the other passengers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback welcome! Thank you so much!


	5. Beyond the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowing down pacing a lot. I know it was going a lot faster, I just wanted to get out of canon territory.

The first day on the trip to Manhattan, now called Empire city, seemed smooth. It would be three more days, give or take, before arrival so Danny and Piper tried their best to settle in before the first dinner. They both hoped the other passengers were at least friendly enough. Maybe share stories or play cards to pass some time. But for now it was becoming acquainted with their room. Which was pretty easy. One bedroom with a small bathroom off the side. An old dresser sat in the far corner on the other side of one queen mattress. The bed looked surprisingly new compared to how rough the room was framed in. 

Piper threw her bag on one side of the bed, “Hey this isn’t so bad. No draft, nice looking bed.” 

Danny dropping her things on the other side, “Yeah this should do fine. Look Piper I can sleep on the ground I brought some bedrolls, you can take the bed.” 

“Well okay Blue, but don’t come complaining when you wake up sore, remember you gave it to me.”

“I know. I’ll be fine.” Danny opened her pack and unraveled the bedroll, tucking it up next to the bed. “Well what should we do until 8:00? That’s like, two hours.” 

“I think you need some sleep, you have been groggy all day. Why don’t you rest up. And I’ll get you when there’s food.”

Danny put up little hesitation to this idea. She was extremely tired and could use a nap. And she was out as soon as her head hit the pillow. 

Piper on the other hand was wide awake. And with this time started writing about their journey so far. About the oddly peaceful walk through Boston, and then every detail imaginable about the ship and captain Carter. She wrote as if for an autobiography. Trying to capture every detail. Only stopping a few times when Danny, or as Piper still refers to her, Blue, would shift and mumble something in her dream state. This dream seemed peaceful though so she would leave her friend alone. 

In the time just before eight o’clock. Piper thought about their friendship and how crazy it was that just two weeks ago, they had only met once. And now they are off sailing to some far off city together. She was a little disappointed that she wouldn’t get to share a bed. Piper was hoping to return a favor and try help Blue sleep a bit better. Maybe it was a little disappointment at not getting to feel close. But maybe friends don’t do that. Maybe she feels something else. “Don’t think like that Piper.” Whispering to herself. And she pushed the last thought from her head. Just friends after all. 

At eight o’clock Piper gently nudged Danny. “Hey, Blue, wake up.... Blue, food should be ready.” 

“Yeah.... I’m up, I’m up” Danny sounding groggy after her nap. Still got up pretty quickly at the mention of food. They hadn’t eaten anything since leaving Diamond city. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun and got up to meet the rest of the passengers, and get something to eat. 

On the top deck of the vessel sat captain Carter at a long table with bits of fresh food and prewar packaged stuff. Along with two other people. One was a younger girl. Maybe twenty, thin, with wavy brown hair, and a gash across her left cheek that was mostly healed. And an older man, had to be at least fifty, dark hair with flecks of grey showing. He looked well built for an older man. But in the wasteland you have to be to get that old. 

“It’s about time you two showed up, I was worried you got seasick” Carter then pointed to the others at the table.   
“This is Monroe, she’s headed to the capital too. And this is Samuel, we’ll be leaving him at empire city.”

Monroe the first to speak up after the introduction, “hi, so Carter tells me you guys are going to D.C. too. Have you ever been there?” 

Danny thinks for a moment on how to answer. Finally replying “yes but it was a long time ago. It’s probably changed quite a bit”

Monroe now giddy pulls out a large rolled price of paper. “I have this map, it shows all the settlements, and all the prewar monuments. If you want we can travel together when we get there.”

“Well that sounds good.” Piper now speaking up. “We wanted to do some exploring around the area, and a map would definitely help with that. And another person watching out never hurt.”

Samuel then found his turn to speak up. “You should head into Empire with me. I know the captain will need to get fuel. And restock on food.” He seems almost shy about asking. “It really is an interesting place. I bet you’ve never seen anything like it.”

“We won’t be able to stay” Piper again answering. “But we can definitely check it out.”

With some loose plans made over dinner the passengers headed back to their rooms. Danny took her spot on the ground. And Piper hers on the bed. After a few minutes Danny was out again. Still exhausted from the previous night. And after writing a few lines about their new acquaintances, Piper fallowed suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to try to post regularly, I’m actually doing some research for this. Looking at 50s New York, then making it fallout themed. It’s a lot of fun. Thank you so much! Feedback always welcome!


	6. Mr. Sandman

Danny woke abruptly, shaking from the nightmare, fear and sadness on her face. She clicked on the pip-boy to her side, three in the morning. Climbing out of her bedroll with a few aches and pains from the wooden floor she went to the sink for some water. After wiping her face she looked in the mirror. Something she hadn’t done in months. Her dark nearly black hair a mess from sleep. She touched the scar from the first night out of the vault. 

That was a harsh introduction to the new world. She had put together a bed from scraps from the neighbors houses. And was just laying down when codsworth stormed in yelling something about hooligans causing a ruckus. Later to be termed as raiders. All Danny could think was there are people. The first people she had seen alive in two hundred years. But it wasn’t what she had expected. And if it wasn’t for her robot butler she wouldn’t have made it it out with just a scar across the cheek. 

She took to the sink to splash water in her face. After a few minutes of looking over scars and cleaning up her hair, Danny crawled back into her bedroll. Complaining to herself for a few minutes about the hard floor, eventually fell back asleep. 

Piper woke when Danny did, though staying quiet. She knew Danny wouldn’t want to talk yet. So she faked sleep while her companion shuffled across the room to the sink, then back to the bedroll on the floor. For a moment piper wondered if she should say something, try to help in some way. But no. Not now, not tonight. Piper was working out some of her own issues. 

She thought about childhood and the pain that wrought her family. About times in diamond city. About her sister. And about her new friend that fell in her lap only two weeks ago. Piper can usually figure a person out. But not blue. Not yet. She was a tougher but to crack. Maybe tomorrow, as tomorrow would bring a peace, safely out on the ocean and halfway to a new adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the huge delay. Hopefully will be posting consistently now, maybe once per week. I hope you enjoy! And feedback is always welcome!


	7. I’ve Got You, Under My Skin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I fell off my schedule all ready. Hopefully this will get me back on it.

Two more nights would pass before waking up on the morning before arrival. Nights Piper and Danny spent talking with their new friends. Empire city seemed so exciting. So many opportunities. The last day, the pair stayed in. And talked for the first time about their lives outside the past month. Danny told Piper all about New York and the huge city it was before the war. This reminiscing wasn’t saddened so much anymore.

Danny was getting a bit more comfortable with her travel partner. Maybe time brought a little more acceptance. And friends never hurt when healing. The time flew by now that they were talking. And it’s the next morning when the ship is set to land in empire city. 

The last night was the best for Piper’s money. Blue finally told her about her late husband. It was hard seeing her friend in such a dark moment. But piper sat quietly while Danny went on.

“ Nate was really the only man that ever gave me the time of day, we met in college but he was shipped off to anchorage. And the best we could do was write back and forth.” 

Danny stopped for a moment to breathe and wipe a tear. 

“He stopped one day. And a soldier that stops writing makes you assume the worst, then a few days later, he showed up on my door. In crutches, but very much alive.”

Another pause to take a heavy breath. And wipe a growing stream of tears. Both happy to remember her husband. And sad to remember he’s gone. Piper was in pain for her friend. But there’s not much to say in a time like this. Just listen. 

The attempt to collect herself didn’t go very well. Danny fell in a heap on pipers lap and quietly cried. Piper let her, mourn. Running her fingers on Blue’s back for long time until Blue was asleep. 

Pipers mind raced once Danny was out. She thought about Blue. And started to run out stretched fingers though her friends hair. It was weird to think after such an emotional moment, but this woman asleep on her lap is beautiful. And there was no doubt they had an easy time sparking up a friendship. 

But that thought has to stay with piper for now. They needed to put some distance and time between commonwealth and its trauma before she would dream of saying anything. 

“Not yet” piper whispered to herself. “Not yet”


End file.
